The Delta Companies promoted Bill Tracewell to CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2017. He succeeds founder Jeff Bowling, who will remain active within the organization and hold a position on the board of directors. The company is the eighth-largest US provider of locum tenens staffing.

“Bill has the skill and drive necessary to compete in this space,” Bowling said. “Our customers and the great people of TDC are going to have an unparalleled advantage with Bill and Mitsui driving future success.”

Bowling launched Delta in 1997, and he was included in The Staffing 100 list of the most influential people in the industry in 2014. Investment firm Mitsui & Co. Ltd. acquired Delta in 2014.

Tracewell has served as chief operating officer after having been promoted to that role last February. He previously served as executive VP of Delta Healthcare Providers and Delta Physician Placement, the Dallas-based company’s travel therapy and permanent placement businesses.

“Bill is a quiet but determined proven leader in healthcare staffing, who we have worked with for the past two years since Mitsui’s investment in TDC in 2014,” said Seiki “Stan” Hirota, chairman of the board at The Delta Companies. “Bill has a wealth of knowledge of TDC, and is a person of integrity. Bill has demonstrated character and competence and will be an excellent leader for the company going forward as we continue to strengthen the culture, business model and legacy, which Jeff built since the inception of TDC.”

Delta counts 255 internal employees and revenue of more than $100 million in 2016.